Don't Hit Replay - Encouragement Café - October 16, 2015

Don’t Hit Replay

Café Menu for Friday, October 16, 2015

Today’s Special is:  Changing the Playlist of Our Minds

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Carolyn Dale Newell

Main Ingredient:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8 NKJV

Entrée:

What’s on your mind?  

Seriously, where were your thoughts before you clicked on this devotion?  Were they on your job, tomorrow’s dental appointment or tonight’s dinner?

We love to beat ourselves up with our thoughts.  Unless our minds are focused on the task at hand, they tend to wonder to another time and place.

Memories from yesterday can flash across the screens of our minds, and usually they are not good.  Why do we replay that embarrassing moment from yesterday?  What good comes from harboring the unkind words of the sales clerk at the store?  Why didn’t I get invited to last week’s dinner party?  

We keep replaying those hurtful thoughts, and what is the benefit?

Sometimes we begin to speculate on tomorrow and the “what if’s”:

What if the doctor bill is more than I expected?

What if my husband gets sick?

What if I get that new virus that’s going around?

Again, we are beating ourselves up, only now it is with problems that don’t exist and may never happen.  Are we gluttons for punishment?  Why do we replay yesterday’s shame and tomorrow’s anxieties?  They are cluttering up our minds preventing us from enjoying today.  Yesterday’s pain and tomorrow’s worries will chase away today’s peace.

Paul said that our minds need to be filled with things which are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and things of good report.  Think on things that are praiseworthy.  Yesterday’s sorrows and tomorrow’s maybes don’t qualify.

Let’s quit hitting replay.  Instead, let’s concentrate on things for which we  can praise God We can change the playlist of our minds to thoughts which are encouraging and edifying, bringing God glory, and giving ourselves peace of mind.

Take Out:

Here are a few suggestions to get our minds on the right track:

·       Choose a Bible verse(s) to meditate on throughout the day.

·       Listen to gospel music.

·       Pray without ceasing.

Dessert:

Heavenly Father,

When my mind goes to these areas which create anxiety, help me turn to You, meditating on Scripture and things which are praiseworthy.  Keep me from hitting the replay button of my mind. In Jesus’ name, amen.

© 2015 by Carolyn Dale Newell.  All rights reserved.

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